Lawmakers Want DOD to Fix Errors on Korean War Memorial

Lawmakers are demanding the Department of Defense fix the more than 1,000 reported misspellings and other mistakes on the Wall of Remembrance recently added to the Korean War Veterans Memorial.

According to the Washington Times, researchers found that in addition to spelling problems, some names represented those who weren't involved in the 1950-1953 conflict, while others who should've been included were left off the wall.

"Errors of this magnitude should not have made it past the initial blueprints, much less carved into stone, and certainly not erected and unveiled to the public. We find these errors deeply concerning and write to seek accountability on how the Remembrance Wall's glaring flaws went unnoticed until post-construction," Michigan GOP Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and senior lawmakers from both parties, wrote to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday, the news outlet reported.

The memorial was dedicated in 1995, but the wall was unveiled last year to list the names of 36,000 Americans who died in the conflict.

Historian Hal Barker and his brother Edward Barker Jr. did research on the Korean war and found errors on the wall — including a misspelling of the name of helicopter pilot John Koelsch, who was shot down during a rescue mission and died in captivity, earning him a posthumous Medal of Honor, The New York Times reported.

Construction of the $22 million wall was handled by a private foundation, which used information provided by the DOD, the Washington Times noted.

In their letter to Austin, lawmakers asked that he submit an explanation about how the names were transmitted and a plan for correcting inaccuracies.

"We find it unfortunate that what should have been a touching tribute for bereaved family members and a grateful nation has turned into an embarrassing gaffe," the lawmakers wrote, the Washington Times reported.

"We must take the necessary steps to correct the issue, find the communication and research flaws that caused the errors, and ensure such errors are never repeated."

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